Work, rest and play...

This was the slogan of a lovely little chocolate bar (sorry...hmm chocolate) which has been in the UK for years. It is also the title of this blog and bears no relation to eating chocolate. So if you are hopeful for something sweet then you are in the wrong place..sorry.

I bumped into a trainer friend of mine the other day on Kensington High Street. We got chatting about training and keeping motivated when your life is fitness. The resultant conclusion was that we need to achieve, rest and recover.

As my Twitter name suggests (@tomthesloth) I am a bit lazy. I do struggle to get motivated to train. I'd much rather relax, read or eat than put the mileage into my training. This never boads well for an Ultra marathon!  However when I do train, I'm able to appreciate the time when I don't that bit more, to know that even though I'm being lazy it is actually helping repair and recover my body for the next challenge. When I get to an event I am relaxed, knowing that I have not overtrained (no chance of that!) and am ready for whatever is thrown my way. I achieve because I take a little and often approach to my training.

Most people begin a fitness routine with aspirations of being a supermodel. They believe that the 3 times a week that they will visit the gym (when work, family and social life allows) will transform them, from average Joe or Phyllis into a fit Hugh Jackman or Heidi Klum. For some this pipe dream may become reality. But it would take a merciful diet and 3 savage training sessions to have this transformational effect. The intensity of this program and recovery needed would probably demotivate most mortals and send them back to the unhealthy lives they were trying to escape in the first place.

So what am I getting at here?

Well a more realistic approach would be a starting place. Set yourself a goal then halve it and achieve that. Want to run a marathon? Aim for a half marathon or better still, a 10k. Rather than demotivating yourself because you can't get to the gym, just do 15 minutes at home before work, then it's done and you can rest, recover.

Exercise is by no means rocket science, there's plenty of information out there for us to absorb. As long as we acquire good information the obstacle is ourselves, our barriers to success our eagerness to fail.

So don't fail, don't build barriers, just begin a habit today of 5 minutes of exercise. Pat yourself on the back when you achieve it everyday for 2 weeks, then think about your next goal.

Little and often can be the key to success, don't run before you can walk, because often you'll stumble and fall flat on your face. 

T :)

Here are some guidelines:

1. 
   
   
   Rather than attempting an hour session or even half an hour, just take little steps - Do 5 minutes exercise every morning. (it could be a brisk walk, climbing the stairs or barefoot run)
2. 
   
   
   Give yourself something attainable and achieve. Don't run before you can walk. Use your stairs and climb them up and down for 5 mins, pick up a kid and swing them round (borrow one if you don't have your own, just ask first) or get to the park and do 20 jumping jacks at each bench you find.
3. 
   
   
   Find ways to walk, climb stairs, cycle, play with your kids whenever possible. You'll burn more energy everyday = a fitter, slimmer you.
4. 
   
   
   Try. Try new activities to enjoy exercise. Salsa, dancing on a saturday night (minus the booze), footie with mates, frisbee with the dog (run after the dog), skipping.

Don't be afraid to rest, but make sure in your heart, mind and soul that you've earnt it, bottom line don't be a lazy sausage!

Your mission before my next blog is to do 5 minutes activity a day, everyday. Enjoy it and record it. Use iexerci.se to help track your progress.

This activity must be something that raises your heart rate, gets you out of breath (not dying) and makes you sweat a little. It must be something you don't normally do.

Feel free to let me know how you get on,

Tom :)

Barefoot Running

There was a time long ago, a time before man and woman knew what polyurethane or liquid silicone was, let alone that it would present itself in a "running shoe".

Our ancestors are likely to have run barefoot or worn a thin covering to protect their feet from sharp objects. If they were hunters they would've run a lot (unless they were clever) and the gatherers would've covered miles walking in search of fruits, seeds and plants. Unfortunately we can't ask if they got shin splints, developed ITB problems or suffered with Plantar Fascitis!

It's an assumption (probably a fair one) that if they weren't eaten by a wild animal, they would adapt to their surroundings, active lifestyle and the need to survive pretty quickly. You could consider our ancestors to be the first athletes. When they weren't hunting they'd be re-fuelling, recovering and interacting (in simple/primal ways) with each other. Something we all lack at times in today's world.

So why the anthropology lesson?

Well we are somewhat different from our ancestors. We no longer hunt, gather, rest, re-fuel or interact (I'm blogging this for example) in the same way. Our jobs prevent us from being active throughout the day (unless you are a trainer like me :)) and we are conditioned to eat at set times. As a result our bodies and biomechanics have changed.

We are told (correctly for some) that we need this shoe or that supplement to make us work 100%. We pay good money to be better without changing what is fundamentally the cause of our problems, our lifestyle.

If we changed how we sat, walked, ran, ate, rested or interacted it would have a dramatic impact on our bodies and our lives. Would we have need for expensive shoes and supplements if we focused on the ground up?

Everything we do should be done with care, slowly and with thought as to how it will affect us. But we should at least try. We should try to walk then run barefoot, try to eat with our health in mind, try sleeping less in the summer (enjoy those daylight hours) and see how it improves our lives.

This is just a suggestion from someone who is a tryer, can be trying, but always gives things a try :)

Go on just try.....

Barefoot run and walk for Beginners

Every others day head for a green space (it needn't be large), take your socks and shoes off (check for broken glass) and follow this simple session below. The aim is to take in what your feet feel, absorb your surroundings and enjoy the feeling of being 20 years younger!

5 mins total every other day.

Slow run with small strides for 1 minute, walk for 1 minute.
think about remaining upright, feet under your body with small strides, relaxed arms.

Build the time gradually, ensuring you stretch your legs; calves and achilles in particular after you've run.
Increase by 60 seconds per week. Forget about ramping up the time and remember what it was like to run as a kid; relax, run free, absorb everything!

Above all enjoy running for the good feeling not the challenge of more, more, more and SMILE :)

T :)

Good morning exercises

It's been awhile since my last confession, I mean blog. So I wanted to start off my return to blogging with 5 morning exercises. They are simple mobility and dynamic stretching exercises to awaken the muscles and joints in a friendly way. Also perfect before a run to loosen everything up. If you need a video see www.youtube.com/tomthesloth where you'll find this as a video.

Try 60 seconds per exercise. Perform one set of each exercise then repeat 3 times.

1) Hula Hips - Stand feet shoulder width apart. Slowly circle hips clockwise, starting small and gradually building to larger circles. Change direction at 30 seconds. (This loosens lumbar spine and hip joints)

2) Shoulder Rolls - Bring arms up to shoulder height. Slowly circle arms forwards, starting with small circles and gradually building to large circles. After 30 seconds change direction, circling backwards from large circles to small circles.

3) Pec Dyno - Bring arms across your body as though trying to hug yourself then open arms out to make a T shape with your body. Bring arms back across body, then out again. Starting off slow and gradually building speed. Don't force arms back, but keep relaxed to open chest and warm arms.

4) Squat Reach - Feet a little wider than shoulder width. Squat down, bum back and back straight. Stand up reaching arms up to ceiling as you do so, all the way up onto the toes, then lower back down into the squat and repeat. Focus on control and reaching that stretch up to the ceiling.

5) Shadow Box - Yes that's right! You'd be surprised how boxing can help control your anger and focus your mind. Don't worry you don't need the bag...yet! Stand slightly side on in front of a mirror with elbows tucked into your sides and fists "guarding" your face. Slowly extend your left (if your are right handed) fist out knuckles facing the ceiling. Don't lock the arm fully just 95%. Bring back into guard position and repeat with the right. Gradually speed the arms up keeping them relaxed, not tense.

If you are not sure about any of these exercises please visit www.youtube.com/tomthesloth for videos of the above exercises.

Remember: start slowly, gradually speed up. These are warm-up exercises, so treat your body kind and it'll like you back :)

News update

It's been some time since I "blogged" so I wanted to get on here and say hi.

Since I last updated training has progressed for our charity event in June and we are happily ticking off the miles past 20 now. We are still to get our fancy dress outfits, mainly because we can't decide between running as a steak and egg or dressing in wartime uniforms, the latter being more relevant to our cause (H4H). Needless to say there will be photos up here when we get them and throughout the event!

My youtube page is taking a little more shape now as I have figured out how to work my new webcam. If you visit www.youtube.com/tomthesloth you can see the videos up so far. There will be more free content to come with the hope that more people can get involved in exercise wherever they are, whatever their level.

Back to Nature Fitness Events (B2N) are moving along nicely this year, with our busiest year to date. Our next event is on June 19th and 20th. You can choose between a day of mountain biking in the new forest or kayaking on the beaulieu river with forest orienteering. If you fancy a getaway then you can join us for both days, with dinner and fantastic country bed and breakfast accommodation provided. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

The final update is on a new project that I am hoping to set up with a good friend of mine. As yet we are loosely naming it "Reddo" (I'll leave you to figure that out) and it will be a new Social Enterprise. The plan is to set up a community based project with the aim to:

"improve physical and mental health and wellbeing through a holistic, natural and social approach".

That covers a lot of areas but in essence it is about giving back to the community in the hope of developing people's lives for the better using fitness, nutrition, education and social cohesion to name a few. 

We'll keep you updated on "Reddo".

Happy training!

T :)

Has spring arrived?

Thankfully I had to wait for a delivery today, so I got to enjoy the weather out on the deck. Well actually by deck I mean garden and it faces East so I was actually enjoying the shade. However it didn't matter where I was because I was outside and realising that Spring may well have arrived (touching wood), bringing with it a break from S.A.D and gloominess.

This arrival of Spring has also made me realise that every man, woman and their dogs will be out running, jumping and wheeling through London. For this I thought I'd offer some basic, but sound advice.

1) Don't wear lycra suits. This is for all the men that may think it acceptable to wear lycra shorts with lycra tops, whilst not competing for an Olympic event. You won't gain the speed you think. You need to lose weight and get fitter, that'll drop your 10k time.
2) Start Gradually. On a more serious note here. Don't do a T J Alfry and start running 35+ miles a week after having been on holiday drinking and eating for 2 weeks. It's not clever and it'll probably get you injured. Keep it small (20-30mins) and spend half that time stretching afterwards, you're muscles will thank you for it.
3) Keep it up. Many men will know this problem. They start something adventurous and exciting, feeling empowered and positive, but soon get tired, frustrated and feel like they've failed. Yes that's right, when you start training, you need to "keep it up", "little and often" is a good way of developing a habit that is achievable and gets the results you want. ;)

Ok that's all the wisdom I have for today. My Yoda like self will "back be soon I will".

So until then,

Happy Training :) T

Back from the USA and feeling the effects..

I returned from holiday today and am happy to be back. There's only so long you can go without a proper amount of fruit and veggies and fibre. I really don't know how Floridians do it. Or maybe that's it, they don't! There were far too many large people in OAP scooters for my liking..

Anyway I am back and I return energised and ready for action!

I spoke to my mate Roly today and signed up to his Healthtext service in order to get back on track and so that I can tell you how well it works! Check it out for some simple, effective reminders.

I am back into training after a "small" rest and am raring to hit the mileage again, so watch out guys, you know who you are!

Other than a light tan and a lot of great seafood there's not much else to report. B2N April Adventure is on the 17th of April so check out www.b2nfitness.co.uk if you fancy a fantastic day of biking in the New Forest.

Keep up the training, T :-)

Holiday

I am off on holiday now until March 25th, so if you don't hear or see me do not worry!

I hope to return from 10 days in Florida with a tan.

Here's hoping...

Happy training :)